German designer Jörg Brachmann is the creative force behind these cool products. His brand Urbanature is dedicated to bringing greenery into small city apartments. Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, each item is thought out with space limitations in mind. I especially love the hybrid of a herb garden and a cutting board – wishlisted. Watch the video after the break to learn more about these designs.

This unusual concept has been created by Vicky Gonzalez and Ivan Garcia of Monterrey-based creative firm Estudio Manifiesto Futura. The clever packaging for a book turns into a biodegradable sculptural planter. Designers used triangle wood chips and burlap fabric to create a shape, both flexible and stable. Here is how they explain their idea: “To design the object, we rely on materials that were 100% biodegradable. This gave us the opportunity to give another use to the packaging by making a pot. We managed to create an experience of surprise and satisfaction of the re-use of a functional object.” The packaging solution is a project commissioned by Design Week Mexico.

I can’t walk past a home garden idea, especially when it’s as elegant as this one. The Quadra lamp, designed by Italian label Bulbo, is a gardening tool that can let your herbs and windowsill veggies feel happy all year long. An adjustable aluminum frame is fitted with LED lights and accommodates plants of various height. Bulbo people claim that the lamp is energy efficient and eco-friendly. I love the sleek design and subtle glow of the piece. The Quadra lamp comes in two sizes.

If you are guilty of systematically killing your greenery - this product might help. Moistly, a cute plant alarm, will notify you when your plans need attention. The device is stuck in the soil next to a plant. When the plant needs water, Moistly senses this and starts to bleep and blink by playing a short melody and flashes a green LED light to alert you. It looks unobtrusive and doesn’t take away from the beauty of the plant. I also like that there is no learning curve involved in using this product. No network, no configuration. Simply put it into the soil and walk away.

The Aqueduct 3D-printed modular planter by Evan Gant is a very interesting idea. It makes a lot of sense. Here is how designer describes it: “This modular system utilizes the connections between each planter as a method of transferring water from the top planter to the lower planters. Each plant is saturated with water on its way down the bottom planter empties out into a larger potted plant.” How smart is that? And it looks rather cute too. Available for purchase here.

No space for another planter in your shoebox-sized palace? Despair not, reader. Here is a cool way to add greenery to your home without invading useful surfaces – a book shaped ﬂower pot. It can be used both as a free-standing item and with books lined in order. The piece is made of PMMA and PVC for waterprooﬁng. Open the cover page to make it stable as a stand-alone piece and to see the soil inside. The title of the book is “The Life of Plants”. Cute…

Green Light, created by Linda Bergroth for Finnish manufacturer Kekkilä, is a beautiful and powerful grow light, designed for indoor gardening purposes. It serves dual purpose too. While helping your herbs and salad greens grow, it can illuminate your kitchen counters as well. The light features a wide tray that collects extra water, keeping your surfaces clean and dry. The height of the lamp cam be adjusted to accommodate any greenery, short and tall. The piece is made of painted steel and beech. Available for purchase here.

Patch is a clever self-watering herb planter, created for people with questionable gardening abilities. Instead of trying to figure out how much water the plant needs and how often it needs it, this piece allows you to fill the reservoir and go by your business. It will deliver water to the roots itself. The principle is simple – assemble your planter, fill it with soil, plant seeds and starter plants, fill the reservoir with water through a specially provided tube and walk away. The soil will take enough water through the wicking leg, located in the middle. Beautiful and simple idea. I also like the low tech casual look of the piece.

There are quite a few hydroponic systems out there, and they all make sense in terms of cultivation of plants (more or less). But there is one thing I dislike about many hydroponic kits – they tend to look like appliances rather than beautiful planters. Luckily a Chicago couple Sarah Burrows and Nick Behr managed to bring together technology and aesthetics by creating Modern Sprout, a stylish windowsill box you actually want to look at. Here is how Nick and Sarah describe their project:

“Modern Sprout was created by the two of us, two people who live and work in a tiny apartment. As avid cooks, eaters, and project planners, we decided the next logical step was to grow our own garden. Unfortunately, we have no space. (Our small Chicago apartment doesn’t have a yard). After researching non-traditional options, we found hydroponics. But every kit we tried was expensive, difficult to set up, and more homely than homey. We were unimpressed with our options, so we planted the seeds for Modern Sprout. Now we provide planters that are simple, stylish, and fertile with success. Just add water.”

The planter is narrow enough to fit any windowsill, tall enough to hide all its hydroponic equipment inside and comes in four finishes – chalkboard, weathered gray, high-gloss white and reclaimed wood. Pledge on this Kickstarter page to get yours.

The Kitchen Farming collection by Swedish brand Cult Design has been recently unveiled at the International Housewares Show in Chicago. The line of terracotta and ceramic pots was created specifically for growing eatable produce indoors. The pot designs include self-watering Evergreen herb pot and Grow Green – a box to grow shoots and sprouts in (perfect for healthy salads). The pieces vary in size, so you can build your kitchen counter garden as small or big as you like or as your space allows.